patent application U.S. 2001/0026427 A1 discloses a matrix converter comprising a 3×3 matrix made up of both-way switches for powering an asynchronous motor from a three-phase network. By means of its modular topology, such a matrix converter offers the advantage of making it possible for a given alternating current (AC) to be converted directly into AC at a different voltage and at a different frequency by appropriately controlling the various switches, unlike the fixed-structure converters that are usually used and which require an AC-to-DC rectifier, a DC-to-DC chopper, and a DC-to-AC uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to be associated in series and to be combined with filter capacitors in order to obtain the same result.
However, in such a matrix converter, the both-way switches are constituted by associating diodes and Integrated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) components, which suffer from the drawback of not being capable of withstanding high voltages, since the most robust IGBT components that are currently commercially available are limited to an operating voltage of about 6.5 kV. In addition, such an IGBT component suffers from the drawback of having a control gate that must be isolated from its collector and from its emitter, which poses problems when the voltage across the terminals of the IGBT component becomes high.